


Purpose

by ItsMeChara



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:40:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26126629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsMeChara/pseuds/ItsMeChara
Summary: What gives your life purpose?Is it all the good things; good food, friendship, work, etc?Or is it something else entirely?
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14





	Purpose

“Don’t touch me!”

“The kid doesn’t know better.” Ink leaned down to gently chastise the child. “Kiddo, we have to respect other’s wishes and personal space.”

“But he’s my favorite colors!”

Error scoffed and turned away, anger fading. Ink chuckled as he held the child close to him.

“This is the youngest Frisk I’ve seen so far! And look, they look like you!” Ink held the child out, but Error didn’t turn. “Aww, I thought they would brighten that sour look on your face.

Error turned his head slightly to look over his shoulder. His vision glitched a little, annoyingly, but snapped back to focus on the child. They were tiny and wiggling; no taller than Error’s knee. They reached desperately for him, grinning wildly. He noticed their dark black hair; a blue sheen highlighted each strand in the sunlight. Their eyes were a bright red that seemed to glow. They wore a tiny black hoodie with yellow stitching, and blue pants a size too big for them. Covering every inch of visible skin were tiny, crack like scars; they reminded him of his own glitching form. He tried not to imagine where the scars came from on such a tiny child.

“Mmhmm…” Error grumbled, turning back. “Take him back, Squid.”

Error could practically feel Ink slump. “Aww, you’re no fun today.”

“I’m not playing games! I want to be alone!”

“You ALWAYS want to be alone. Don’t worry! I’ll be back!”

As Error sighed heavily, he heard a splatter behind him and then…silence. Blessed silence. Damn that Ink… Error thought angrily, ripping open his own portal back to the anti-void. I just wanted to sit in the sunlight for five minutes! He always pops up when I DON’T WANT HIM TO.

Grumbling, his form glitching and the ERRORs popping up more frequently with his anger, he flopped into his bean bag chair and leaned his head back. He had to calm down. He couldn’t get his eyes to focus when he was angry, and it was giving him a killer headache. On top of that, he could feel the darkness gnawing at him again; he wanted to go out and destroy. He NEEDED to.

“Cut the crap,” He told himself, slapping both hands to his forehead with a loud cracking sound. “Not today. I want to be sane for one more day. Come on, come on, come on, just think about your shows, yeah, my shows, what do I want to watch today, what’s on, come on come on come on.”

He whispered furiously to himself, pressing his palms hard into his forehead. He could keep it together. He could stop. He was getting better at it. He could do this.

As he tried to calm himself, he was unaware of Ink’s return. Silently, eyes blank white and expression cold, Ink settled down beside him. He wrapped his hands around his legs and pulled them close, staring out into the distance.

“F---, get it TOGE-What the absolute-“ Error jumped up from his chair, startled, as his eyes fell on the motionless Ink. “What have I told you about doing that?!” He shouted furiously.

Ink didn’t move. “Sorry.” His voice was flat; there was nothing to even suggest he was remotely apologetic.

Error narrowed his eyes at him. Ink’s current state wasn’t unusual; it happened from time to time. Error knew this was not the time to attempt any digs, good natured or otherwise. Though he might be scary when angry or having a psychotic breakdown, Error’s erratic behavior had nothing on Ink when he was like this.

He collapsed back into his chair. “You’re interrupting my shows. Again.”

“You haven’t even opened an AU yet.” Ink stated bluntly.

“Fine. What’s eating you, Squid?”

“They’re dead.”

Error furrowed his brows in confusion. “Who is dead?”

“The kid. I don’t know what happened. Their AU…it collapsed. Gone.” Ink hadn’t moved a centimeter, just stared off as he talked. “I held them as they cried, Error. Begged me to help. There was nothing I could do. They melted in my hands.”

Error shrugged. “Well, it wasn’t me. And that happened quick. You’ve been gone like, ten seconds.”

Ink turned his head, his white eyes locking with Errors’. He shivered involuntarily. Out of all the things that freaked him out, seeing that empty nothingness in Ink’s eyes was the worst. He would rather face his rage, his sadness, even his overbearing happiness or excitement. This was not the Squid he wanted in his anti-void.

“I don’t want to feel anymore. It’s happening too often. The Creators are giving up; there are no new ones to take their places. I can’t do anything.” Ink tapped his vials and each clink sounded louder than it should in the following silence.

“That’s why we agreed on a truce, right? No more destruction, you can’t create. That way the Au’s already existing can prosper, or something like that. I don’t remember the details,” Error scratched his head. “I haven’t destroyed anything.”

“I know.”

“So, why are you here?” Error couldn’t keep the irritation from his voice, as much as he tried.

Ink shrugged apathetically. “I didn’t want to go to the Sphere.”

“That’s your home. This is mine. Sounds like you need a vacation.” Error grumbled, readjusting his position on his chair. This didn’t seem like it was going to be a quick fix. “Why don’t you go hang out with the Swaps or the Fells? Or the OGs? You seem to like them.”

Ink shook his head. The movement was so smooth, it seemed unreal. “I don’t want to. They could be next.”

Error couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Please. You’ve seen the creations that stemmed just from those. And the OGs aren’t going anywhere.”

“Au’s are collapsing at an astonishing rate. Creators are not as abundant. They are abandoning their own creations.” He touched his chest, as if to touch the soul he destroyed, and Error looked away for a moment. “The OGs may even end up disappearing. And there is nothing I can do.”

Error sighed heavily. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because,” Ink started, standing and leaning over Error until he came uncomfortably close to him. “I spent so long alone. I destroyed my own soul. If everything collapses, I want you to know something.”

Error had pushed so far back into his bean bag to avoid touching Ink that he could barely hear what he was saying. “Okay….. and?”

“Before I continue on. Before I go back out there, drinking from these, going back to being happy and helpful, ready to fight you and all the negative aspects threatening Creators, I need to tell you something.” His eyes were so empty, and yet deadly serious, as his face creeped ever closer to Error’s.

As Ink paused long enough for the moment to become awkward, his hands gripped the sides of the beanbag tight enough to rip the seams. Error tried to bury himself even deeper into the bean bag chair, praying there was another centimeter left it could give. He did not want to touch Ink in this state or at all, and he was coming ever closer.

“Thank you.” Ink stated simply. “For giving me purpose.”

Error stared back, stunned. “What?”

Ink pulled away from him, releasing his death grip on the bean bag. “You destroy. I create. We are constantly at odds, never able to agree.” He pulled one of the vials from its sheath and toyed with the heart stopper. “When I met you, I was so angry. Still am. You destroyed innocent lives, complete universes. I just…existed, tried to find something to give my life meaning. I drank this,” He held up the sunny yellow vial. “And tried to find my bearings. Even though you may despise me, and I despise what you do,” He tossed the vial up and caught it, turning to look at Error. “I’m glad you exist. I don’t want you to disappear.”

Error continued to stare. What in the world was this idiot saying? “I…don’t really get it, but whatever gets you out of here faster.”

Ink nodded. “Don’t kill anyone. I’m going to try to fix this.”

“Yeah, yeah. Now get out.”

Ink drank from his vial. His eyes brightened, and his usual smile returned to his face. Error felt the tension in him suddenly release. He didn’t realize how on edge he was, until Ink finally turned a familiar face to him.

“Hey, Squid.” Error called out, closing his eyes in exhaustion and flopping his arm out over the bean bag.

“Yeah, Glitchy?” Ink called back; his voice filled with mirth now.

“I’m sorry about the kid. I…kind of didn’t hate them.” Error offered uncomfortably. “And…you’re annoying, but its sometimes tolerable to know you exist.”

Ink laughed heartily. “It’s hilarious how terrible you are at this sort of thing. I’ll be keeping my eye on you!”

Error snorted. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get out and all that.” He was exhausted; he didn’t have the energy nor the wit to retort with anything else.

Ink smiled, splashing his brush against the floor of the anti-void. “You complete me, Error!” He shouted as he jumped into the ink, disappearing with a quiet ‘plop’.

Error leaned his head back until it hung off the bean bag, glitching feverishly as he rested his hand across his eyes. “They say I’m insane.” He muttered to himself, then sighed heavily. “But thank you too, Squid. Things would be pretty boring without you.”

“Knew it!” Ink sang, popping his head around the beanbag chair cheerfully.

Error had strings swinging before he realized he was angry, chasing a nervously grinning Ink all around the anti-void as he screamed. “GET OUTTTTT!”


End file.
